The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-03-13
THE MORMON BILL
Points Against it BY the Mo,.
CounSel-His Remedy for 'P'
POlygamy.

n
dents very pointed language in Da r5''
ing the polygamous Mormon pardon T
2. Evans, has given increased iDt' sOsep5
the inquiry why he did not sion tIh
munds Tucker anti-Moruop hill r' I'd
allowed it to become law wjtbor , out
signature. The presence of Mr. c. s
Ticknor Curtis, the leading conrae SOIs'
the Mormons of Utah, suggested 81. \. ny
might be able to throw some rnt. A'
the subject, and he was asked if bsI,s VI
the reasons which influenced thu p-
dents action. He replied that h. 3.
not, but added that ne had prassnt -. D''
the President in writing his yievsc..,' %
bill, both on the score of unconstitrt. D'
atty and inexpediency. Mr. cnss
went on to say:
"It contains, in my judgment Of
three er-pOst-faCtO laws ard ono h;TSSl
attalnder. 1t would be diiicnIr ~ "AH Of
aglne more dangerous attack nv NJ ~. IA
rights of conscience and the Tio "a 10.
property. l entertained q stro19o ui = o.
that the President would avail Ei lug
of the opportunity to show 10 the , ootel
try that this policy is fundamaUUV,oGS1
wrong, and that there is another wopa
deal with polygamy without Infrins;.N
either the letter or the spirit of tha 1as
stitution. But for reasons which sseSS o1
good to him, and of which do NOT r.s
sumo to judge, he did not see ft IL p' !,
this.' W
@. What DO you supposa will
the effect of this measure on the NJ
mons?' Al IS the beginning Of
long warfare in the courts. to which
can see no end within any apprecsp!
time. The Mormon population of Tsi
is about 10000, and the Gentle NM ~
lation is only about 6O,OOO A me sVT,
which seeks to disfranehise any NJ Az
voters of a population who srs
largely the majority is Justly Omen ].
the charge of political purpose: and
think the purpose is, under the guj,s
suppressing polygamy, to subject A.
majority to the absolute dominion Il
the minority Utah is the oldest Ter,
tory in the United States. It ought !,
have been admitted into the Union A.,
State long ago. But after fifteen ys,,
of liberation and virtual eneouan
meDt of polygamy in that Territ0T
United States, in 1862, suddenly bsps1r
legislate against polygamy. That pOrg
has now eliminated in the bill Will
the President has allowed to becom.
law, and which has Widened tue brsss
between the Mormon AMI thu couubr
and has, l fear, rendered it impOs,
to be bridged over. The course n
ought to have been adopted was tOu
the whole subject Of polygamy out
Congress entirely"
Q.-"HoW could that be done2p
by a simple process. Allow the NJ
pie of Utah to form a State Consih
ton, and for the election of delsggx
to convention for that putpossk
there be a broad basis of suffrsgs
Guiding all adult males able to resir
write. Let the Mormons tLem;sg
they would be the majority-dsx-
mine whether pUlygamy shall hm-
hiblted in their State ConstitUl1W
not. Even il. itWere not prohhx.a
would wear itself out within tenYu
It is perfectly ridiculous to-
tend that it is going to afssl
civilization of the rest of the coz
unless Congress continues to holds
exercise the power to suppress hi
Utah and the other TeniJOra
criminal laws. There are many mOIs
amous Mormons, younger men. bon.
polygamous parents, but who hif
never married but one wife. klI
many such persons, intelligent, Ell
Gated men, and | know their F.7A
This class regard polygamy as pr
mitted by their religion, but not Ha
ligatory. Put them in situationFH2
they must dishoaor their parents Q: :
feet upon them, and it will be Idle
expect them to use their Influenza
bring about any settlement OF tie Oh
Guilty. But leave them to the eIs'.t
vi all the rights OF citizens, without. sd
jecting them to test-oaths, and theiG
huence will De very powerful u
elder Mormous, who belong to the y
Grafton which made the remGt
able exodus in 1851 and esas
liShed community of 20, 600 soul; ~
the Great Salt Lake, and who eo1i-..
as divinely appointed.
passing away. 1 regret that the Pr
dent did not veto this BILL but :
thankful that he has withheld tf9I
his sanction. In the letter which !.
dressed to him l expressed the 10y
that his administration would ss7'-
self from all responsibility for =.
pendous blunder and a useless cruz.
This has been done. It is something
thank him for. There might have q
am grateful for this" -.
Owl not this adminlstTs3-.-
have to execute tie law Just as ~ ",
President had signed it?" A. ~
assu-edly, yes. But it will becomie.se
parent that the law can produce no.1.5
but misery and strife. When tn.aS
been manifested, the ,Presiden! W.
in a situation to suggest to the J.
Congress that they had better ae'l..
measure that will have some sense
craftsmanship to recommend l"
Y. Ersnia1 Post Special DiSpGGA'